The invention generally relates to a firearm system for a handgun which possesses an exchangeable barrel with a cartridge chamber and a breech.
In these documents, when reference is given to position, the assumption is of a normal model of a handgun in a horizontal position, and xe2x80x9cforwardxe2x80x9d is in the direction of shooting.
If a silenced weapon is to truly function without sound, the expansion noise of the gases which drive the bullet and the sound of the cartridge detonation must be suppressed. A third sound produced by the fired bullet will last as long as the bullet travels at supersonic velocity. For the suppression of the sound of the bullet, it is possible to choose cartridges, such that the velocity of the bullets is initially subsonic. Alternatively, one can excise gas relief passages in the barrel, which divert a portion of the driving gases into a silencer, and assure that the velocity of the bullet in flight does not exceed the supersonic level. This diversion of gas is only a reasonable measure when the nominal muzzle velocity of the bullet does not exceed the supersonic border. Finally, it is also possible to make use of special, somewhat experimentally made cartridges, the bullets of which do not attain supersonic velocities.
Since the 1960""s, the caliber of military weapons has become steadily smaller. In the second world war, a caliber of 6.5 mm (Italy, Japan, Sweden) was generally seen as being too small to be effective as a military bullet. The average caliber was between 7.5 to 8 mm at that time.
Today, the modern NATO caliber is set at only 5.56 mm (0.223 Remington). In the former Soviet Union, an effort was made to reduce caliber still further, striving for approximately 4.5 mm.
The bullet of a 0.223 cartridge weighs about 3.5 g. In order to maintain a sufficient energy at muzzle, the muzzle velocity of the bullet must exceed three times the supersonic level. In any event, the muzzle velocity is closely calculated and must not fall short of the calculated value.
If one would redesign this 0.223 cartridge so that with some reliability, its bullet would travel at a subsonic velocity, one would obtain a muzzle energy, which would run at only a tenth of its original muzzle energy. This would be a muzzle energy appropriate for a small bore weapon with weaker ammunition (subsonic munitions). However, this bullet would scarcely penetrate a notebook, and xe2x80x9cbulletproof vestxe2x80x9d could offer complete protective cover.
For today""s military command organizations, the greatest possible repression of sounds emanating from firing is essential. To achieve such a goal, for the above reasons, no military weaponry can be employed, even when said weapons are equipped with silencers. Namely, either the sound of the firing is not silenced enough, or the effect of the shooting is insufficient. Now, it is entirely possible to make use of a submachine gun with a silencer, when the said gun fires on a closed breech basis and not, as is usual, from an open breech basis. With such a submachine gun, precision shots can be executed. It would be, however, better to employ the conventional military rifle for the use of such a silencer, as this weapon is already commercially available and need not be specially obtained. Further, the marksmen teams are familiar with the conventional weapon.
To accomplish this goal, one can provide the handgun with an exchangeable barrel for a large caliber cartridge. The reason for this, is that the larger caliber indicates a cartridge with a greater bullet weight, and consequently a greater muzzle energy, even in the subsonic velocity range. However, the earlier cited difficulties in military application are substituted for by new problems, namely the danger of erroneous cartridge switch. Here is an historic example:
In the first world war, the Mauser pistol, which already appeared on the market in 1896, was designed for the bottle cartridge 7.63 mm, but was converted to the 9 mm German Ordnance cartridge Parabellum. This conversion occurred only by use of another barrel, wherein however, the barrel for 7.63 mm and 9 mm were fully exchangeable. Other conversions and/or modifications were not necessary. Principally, a characteristic pistol stock became a recognition signal alerting that an exchange had been made.
In fact, inadvertent switches were often made, since either of the cartridges could be loaded into either pistol. If the 9.3 mm pistol were loaded with 7.63 mm cartridges, firing was still possible, but with reduced muzzle energy, accompanied by an erratic trajectory and loading difficulties. In the reverse situation, the 9 mm bullet squeezed itself through the 7.63 bore, and widened the bore, rendering it unuseable. Possibly, the bolts which limited the recoil travel for the breeching deformed as well.
Also, the earlier Mauser-cartridge 8xc3x9757 was modified several times, whereby, fundamentally, the cartridge with the smaller caliber (about 7xc3x9757) could be loaded into the bore intended for the larger caliber. In this case, the advantage was gained, that no direct damage to the weapon could be brought about. However, the accuracy of the gun, especially the sequential bull""s-eye reliability was greatly reduced. If, for instance, the result of a commando raid depended on the results of a shot hitting its mark, then any inefficiency in the aim could not be accepted, especially when error can be attributed to a faulty loading of the weapon.
Based on the foregoing reasons, the disclosed device would provide a handheld firearm system, which would be free of the above difficulties.
A firearm system for the firing of bottle shaped cartridges from a firearm having an exchangeable barrel with a cartridge chamber and a breech closure, in accordance with the teachings of the present invention comprises an exchangeable barrel, which is designed for a bottle shaped cartridge with an essentially greater caliber than used in the original barrel of the firearm, wherein both cartridges have approximately the same length and same base measurements. The firearm system in accordance with the present invention has the feature that the bullet of the large caliber cartridge is so dimensioned, that if any effort is made to place the large caliber cartridge in the cartridge chamber of the bore for the smaller caliber, the said bullet will seat itself in the area of the cartridge section corresponding to the neck of the smaller cartridge and thereby prevent a complete insertion of the cartridge into the cartridge chamber. Additionally, the cartridge with the small caliber is so dimensioned, that any attempt to put the same into the cartridge chamber of the bore of the larger caliber, will result in its shoulder impinging against the shoulder of that section of the cartridge chamber corresponding to the larger caliber, or it will seat itself in front of this section, with the result that its complete insertion into the said cartridge chamber is prevented.
The shoulder of the large caliber cartridge is set back, in reference to the small caliber cartridge, or the large caliber cartridge exhibits at its shoulder a smaller diameter than does the small caliber cartridge, in other words, the large caliber cartridge is slimmer. The large caliber cartridge is preferably bottle shaped, but can also be slightly conical.
A cartridge that is placed in the wrong chamber will protrude from the non-fit cartridge chamber so far to the rear, that it remains unlatched by the oncoming breech block, and for this reason, the cartridge will not fire. Thus, only one barrel with, if required, a gas cylinder, silencer and munitions need be made available for the conversion of a handgun. These are parts, which, for little expense, can be purchased and kept available in the armory of a company.
The object of the disclosed device will be further explained with the aid of an embodiment presented in the accompanying schematic drawing.